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Do ONE THING on Pinterest challenge: the hot chocolate edition

I am on Pinterest (and I know many of you are too!) and I have found myself with a growing pile of ideas in my boards. The pile keeps getting bigger, yet, oddly, I haven’t done much with any of them. I see, I pin, and then I never really go back. It’s like buying a whole new wardrobe and still wearing my old clothes. Well, it’s time to change that! I’ve decided to use this space here to motivate myself to undertake one pin a week and start striking pins off my list. Of course I’ll share each one with you here, regardless of whether they were fantastic failures or spectacular triumphs.

First on my list was this lovely way of decorating hot chocolate:

Spring Clean Your Vehicle Without Chemicals

It’s March and with West Coasters getting a taste of sunshine, planning begins for Spring cleaning and purging projects. One part of Spring cleaning that typically gets forgotten is deep cleaning a vehicle. Vans that transport kids to school, activities, and fun outings are normally covered in sticky foreign substances (sometimes it’s better not to know), dust, crumbs, and hidden banana peels that have slipped through the cracks of the seat. Although hanging a vehicle deodorizer and using traditional armor guard for the dashboard interior might be convenient, this is another area of our lives that we can switch to organic options. Especially when we realize that a vehicle doesn’t have much space to dissipate chemicals that carry fragrance to mask car odor. Plus, wouldn’t it be extra convenient if you could clean your vehicle interior with items from your pantry?

Here are tips to cleaning your vehicle without chemicals and keeping it budget friendly and convenient from your kitchen:

1) Pull out car seats and put them in the sunlight for a few hours. This is a natural disinfectant that kills germs and bacteria. Don’t forget fuzzy dice or angry bird stuffies in this step.

2) Sprinkle baking soda on rugs and upholstered seats that will be vacuumed. Baking soda is an organic compound that removes odor.

3) Fill a warm bucket of water and add Castile liquid soap (I use Dr. Bronners) and with a cloth, squeeze out excess water and remove dust from any hard plastic surfaces.

4) Replace Windex to clean interior windows with water and a microfiber window cloth.

5) When the dashboard is dry, pour olive oil onto a dry cloth or napkin and polish the dashboard. This will keep your dash naturally repellent of dust for weeks.  I’ve only tested the olive oil polish on a plastic dash board, if your dashboard is a different material, first test in a small corner of the dash to ensure it doesn’t stain or discolor.

6) If there is a lot of debris on the carpet, take your car to a service station with an industrial vacuum to use. Afterwards, use your home vacuum if it has a HEPA filter to minimize more dust.

7) If family members have asthma or allergies, don’t go back to using synthetic air freshener in your vehicle. If you like to ‘spray’ a mixture to mask odor, dilute your favourite essential oil in a spray bottle to use.

8) You can also add the Castile soap to a bucket of warm water to wash the exterior of the car. Rinse with a hose of cold water.

When you avoid using traditional synthetic sprays, air fresheners, and dashboard polish, you are saving your family from absorbing phthalates (hidden behind the term fragrance on labelled products), formaldehyde, and lead that can be carried via dust. Air fresheners really only mask odor, so simply opening your vehicle window will actually ‘freshen’ the air inside your car.  And by removing dust, you are also removing other toxins like lead and VOCs which is smart to do before turning on vehicle air conditioning in the summer!

A Triad of DIY Word Pictures

They used to be called Positive Affirmations and contained nouns with motivational descriptions under them. Oh, and a pretty scenic photo to complete the package. But now, they’re… morphing. Now they’re called Word Pictures (as far as I can tell) and they’ve broken out of the Positive Affirmations mould. They’ve become, well, generational. For the parents there are those inside jokes I don’t get, for birthdays there are witty quips, and there are even office coupons to pass around on special occasions.

On any given day I see a half-dozen different images float through my social media streams, making me lol… making me grimace… making me squint in confusion. Word Pictures. They’re a thing and now I want to do my own, to decorate my house. Good thing Pinterest is always on hand for my pop culture whimsy.

As spring rounds the corner maybe it’s time to add some new decor to your walls too! Here are three easy ways to make your own Word Pictures.

Upcycle Used Books

I love this idea because it’s not only unique and creative, but it’s easy.

Are you able to glue paper on to canvas? Then keep reading. Can you paint a tree-like object? Then you can do this project!

Detailed directions are available on the creator’s blog (in Spanish) but it’s actually a straightforward project. Here are my Coles Notes:

• Take canvases and cover with book pages, gluing securely
• Once it’s dry paint a four or five part image (like the tree pictured)
• Voila! Art!

Lasting Lyrics

If you’re at all handy with a computer, this may be the project for you! You can follow the step-by-step directions on the creator’s blog or figure it out as you go.You’ll need canvas(es), Mod Podge (glue), and lyrics printed on card stock.

Daring Decals

Of all the DIY Word Picture, this is probably the most difficult and finicky. You need a few items you probably aren’t storing in your craft cupboard (well, at least I’m not) like decal paper and a laminator. This blog details a tutorial for decorative canister labels, but I think it can be applied to a wider spectrum.

I’m not certain which method I’ll try first (maybe the first two and then work my way up to the third) but I am sure looking forward to adding my own inspiration to my home!

Thrift Stores … Not Just Your Granddad's Clothes Anymore

I’ve had this song in my head for awhile, and it was giving me the urge to go thrift store shopping.

So on one of Value Village’s sale days at the end of February, my husband and I had a date night of sorts at the thrift store. It was surprisingly fun to score some great deals on nice clothes together. And the changerooms are big enough for two …

Rolf had actually never been thrift store shopping before, but I love thrift stores. I get it from my mom. You can point her to a Salvation Army or a Goodwill and she will come out with an armload of fabulous outfits. I usually prefer Value Village myself. Their prices are higher, but they have lots of 50% off days, and it’s hard to beat the size and selection of a big, bright Value Village.

On this trip Rolf wanted to see if he could find shirts and sweaters for work. I, as usual, wanted to look at everything, but I decided to make a short list and focus my efforts on skirts, jeans, hoodies, and long-sleeved shirts. And some drinking glasses. And serving dishes.

By the way, for the nicest stuff, go to a thrift store in an upper-class neighbourhood … the clothing at the new Stittsville Value Village in Ottawa is full of name brands that I can’t even afford to buy new, thanks to getting their donations from the rich surrounding Kanata and Stittsville neighbourhoods!

How did we do? Check out the awesome buys we got!

 

Found the serving dishes and four tall drinking glasses! The dishes came with a great wooden tray, too. My sister-in-law has beautiful white serving dishes from Pampered Chef that I’ve been coveting (and borrowing), and I’ve been looking for something similar the last three or four times I’ve been in a thrift store. When I saw these on the shelf I pretty much got a thrift store boner.

Drinking glasses are 4 for $2.99 at Value Village, and I’ve decided to become a mixed glasses person. It has taken me years to get over my clenched fist desire to have sets! matching sets of glasses! all uniform! fitting perfectly in the cupboard in shiny rows! But you know what? Now I never have to worry about a glass breaking and ruining a set. Any time I need more glasses, I just go to the thrift store and pick up four more. And I’m developing a set in a way, a set of unique glassware.

As you can see I didn’t do so well on jeans and hoodies. I never have much luck finding hoodies at thrift stores for some reason. And I would have spent more time looking for jeans at Value Village if they hadn’t started hanging their pants sideways. I find that actually makes it harder to check the sizes, not easier as promised. Frustrating! But, I got four skirts to wear with tights and got two sweaters, too. The green sweater is from Jacob and was $4. The Mickey Mouse sweater is flattering and sequined and AWESOME.

Keeping It Clean. For The Kids.

I’m sure most of us can smell it in the air. Yes spring is just around the corner and those of us who like a good clean up will be gearing towards that big spring clean and of course using Used to get rid of all the junk that is soon to become another’s treasure. (For tips on using Used, check out the top ten tips from the master, Karen, who saved thousands of dollars on her reno’ by sourcing freebies from UsedVictoria).

For those of us with children, the spring clean is a great opportunity to organize toys and finally get rid of the broken trains, grown out of Buzz Lightyears and half intact puzzles that get shoved in the spare room until there’s more time.

The spring clean is a great way to set an example to your children. It encourages them to recycle, share (by giving to other children), organise and have respect for their belongings.

Here are a few tips to get kids of any age involved in your clean ups.

• Not the first time - Trying to get your kids to join in on a big spring clean when they’ve never lifted a finger any other day of the year is just not going to work! My advice is the seven minute clean up. I do this with my son and on my own. Set a timer for seven minutes and go! You will be so surprised at how much you can clean up in that time. If I’m feeling particularly energetic (or am going to go stir crazy with the mess), I’ll move from room to room giving each the seven minute make over.
• Music - It’s cleaning, but you can try and make it fun. I’m a Songza ADDICT so I use their playlists for most activities including cleaning, but if your kidlets have a favourite artist, stick it on your player and get them moving as they sort and clean. Just don’t blame me if it’s One Direction on repeat!
• All ages – All ages can clean, from your two year old to your twelve year old. With younger family members, lead by example and keep it simple. Wiping windows, putting away toys, using a duster – all things a three year old can do. Team up with younger children, so if you are cleaning the oven, let your kidlet spray so you can wipe – it might take a little more time, but as they get older, they will understand that helping is normal.
• Bigger Kids – Big kids can go it alone, give them their tasks and off they go.
• Heads Up – Give your kids notice of the tasks they will be doing, it will pay to be organised. Either draw up a list or better still do a lucky dip. Put all the kids’ tasks in a bowl and let them choose.
• Rewards – Don’t go overboard, cleaning is just a part of everyday life, but for a big clean that’s going to take most of the day, adding an incentive won’t hurt. Promises of a pizza party, movie night or sleepover should the chores get done well might get things moving faster.
• Goodwill – The spring clean is a great time to teach kids about giving to those less fortunate.
• Making Money – From giving your kids their own garage sale table, to helping them list on the Used sites, not only is making some money an incentive for them to clean up and sort their belongings, it’s also a good lesson in worth.
• Rules – These are my rules for everyday clean ups but the spring clean is the best time to employ these guidelines. The six month rule – if it hasn’t been played with for six months or more, it goes. The three month rule – even if you have the best of intentions, if the toy has been broken and not repaired for three months, it goes.

Recycling in Canada is “Simply” Cool

Being a born and raised Canadian, the idea of not being able to recycle is a sad world to imagine. And unfortunately, I actually saw a glimpse of this world last year.  We travelled to the East Coast, first stopping in Florida and then heading to Nova Scotia.  Besides the palm trees, marshy lands and gorgeous beaches, the greatest thing that stuck out to me in Florida was the fact that they do not offer a recycling program.  It felt just wrong and almost dirty to finish a can of pop and then chuck it in the garbage where it would eventually up in a landfill forever. With a recycling program, that can could have turned into a new can, paper clips, computer parts or even a part of a new airplane! This didn’t make any sense to me at all; I felt like I was in bizarro world!

Then suddenly in Halifax, Nova Scotia I was transported to a new world where recycling was a priority on everyone’s list, even more so than the West Coast – if you can believe that!  They even had a recycling bin program where you can to sort all of your garbage into compost items, recyclable items and garbage.  And if you didn’t comply with this, the city would fine you!  It is the law to recycle there.  Supposedly this idea is being tossed around in Victoria right now which I am all for!

Being bounced between these two worlds got me thinking lately how fortunate I am to be living in a country where recycling is the norm and is also so acceptable. It also made me realize how simple recycling has become and how most items nowadays can be recycled easily. So I decided to give myself a little educational tutorial to find out all the different items you can now recycle and pass this info along to others in case they weren’t aware of how simple it is to recycle rather than trash our items.

Styrofoam

I’ve always hated this white beast. First because it’s usually not necessary in packaging and second because it is so messy and takes up so much space. But mostly I’ve hated it because I was under the impression it wasn’t recyclable and had to be thrown out. Turns out I was wrong! While it’s not accepted in our blue box programs, there are private recycling depots that will take it away to be recycled and then reused again for a small fee. Just check with your local recycling depot and they should be able to point to a local company that provides this service. And here’s a money saving tip: save up your Styrofoam and then break it down into small pieces and put in a large garbage bag because they usually charge a flat fee per garbage bag.

Old Mattresses

How many times have you seen someone put an old mattress out on the curb and thought “who in the world is actually going to take this after it’s been sitting outside in the dirt and rain for days?” I don’t know about you, but I like to sleep on a clean and mold-free bed at night. And so this poor thing ends up being carted to its final resting place at the landfill. But this doesn’t have to be its’ fate!

Before chucking that bed on the lawn, grab your computer and search to see if there is a mattress recycling program in your city. Turns out Sleep Country offers this in all their locations for a small “green fee” or if you are purchasing a new bed from them. And in Vancouver, they actually put a ban on dumping mattresses and started a local mattress pick up program. This means 90% of the material avoids the dump.  So cool!

Candy Wrappers

Now I can’t tell you that you won’t feel guilty after eating that Kit Kat bar but I can tell you that you can lessen your guilt by recycling the wrapper. Turns out there are recycle drop offs for candy wrappers at some movie theatres now and London Drugs also has drop off bins at most of their locations. And some of these wrappers will actually be upcycled into other products like laptop covers. Sweet huh?

There are hundreds of other items that can be recycled.  And thanks to blog sites and forums like Pinterest, there are also hundreds of ways to upcycle items that can’t be recycled.  So regardless, it’s practically impossible not to recycle in Canada. If you know of any other cool items you can recycle, I’d love to hear them.

Waiting for Warmth: Making it Until Spring

There comes a time in every winter when we suddenly just hit our limit.  Sometimes it’s a stretch of terribly cold weather in January that does us in, other times a long grey February is the culprit. And it’s like we’re just sick of it, all at once.  It may be March, the promise of spring may be near, but still, we long for the warmth of the summer sun.

But what to do if spring is a long way away where you live?  How can you fill your need for sun and warmth, and get a little dose of spring if the real thing is weeks away?  For some of us, it’s a mild case of the doldrums, and we manage to function anyway. For others, it is a real malady called SAD (Seasonal Affective Disorder), and can cause a regular pattern of depression that comes with winter. Either way, it’s a good idea to recognize when you are starting to feel down or lethargic due to the weather and find some solutions that will help liven up your mood.

So, what are some ways to boost your mood when winter just won’t seem to leave?

• Attend a home and garden show for a fresh hit of green and inspiration
• Find a conservatory to surround yourself in the smell of flowers and fresh dirt
• If you garden, get online or pull out your catalogues and order yourself some treats
• Buy flowers or an indoor potted plant with blossoms to brighten your kitchen or nightstand
• Watch the stores for rain gear and rubber boots as they come in early and disappear quickly
• Buy yourself a pair of brightly coloured rubber boots, not just the kids
• Sit down and plan your summer holiday
• Go through summer camp ideas – they book early anyway, so enjoy the photos and get looking
• Get outside every time the sun shines – go for a walk, take the kids to the playground, walk to your lunch destination, park further away on clear days and sneak in a walk to and from work
• Change your routine so you are near a window whenever possible – open your blinds, sit by the window in a coffee shop or restaurant, move your workspace if possible
• Take Vitamin D, of course following guidelines or a health provider’s advice as appropriate
• If all else fails, look for a last minute deal and get yourself onto a beach for a few days

What are your favourite ways to warm your soul and boost your spirits at this time of year?  Do you have any suggestions to share?

And the Award for Best Marriage Advice Goes to…

A few weeks ago UsedVictoria.com was fortunate enough to be a part of the Modern Bride Wedding Event where groom Rob and bride Vanessa tied the knot in front of hundreds of people.  It was such a wonderful and moving occasion, making me wish I could do it all over again… but I guess that’s what vow renewals are for, right?

As part of the event, we ran a contest to win a brand new Ipad Mini! We asked the public to write down their best marriage advice for the newlyweds.  There were hundreds of entries, making it very difficult to pick the winner but we managed to whittle it down to six – and here they are!

1. Take at least one night a week to have fun apart and one night just for you two alone.

2. Being kind is better than being right.

3. Dance, often.

4. Real love is when you choose to love often even when you don’t feel like it. Have a happy marriage!

5. Keep a journal. Every time your partner amazes you or reminds you how much you love them, write it down. Sometimes we need reminders.

6. Stay friends through thick and thin, it will carry you through.

Difficult to choose, eh? They were all great advice but one stuck out to us as being simple and yet so important.  So our grand prize winner was chosen and the Ipad Mini went to… drum roll please… Debbie Boylan for her advice: “Stay friends through thick and thin, it will carry you through.”

Turns out that Debbie’s great advice came from personal experience, as her and her husband have been happily married for over 30 years!  That, in itself, deserves a prize in my opinion! Since Debbie has been happily married for so long, I thought I’d pick her brain to find out if she had any other words of wisdom to pass along:

1. Why do you think it’s so important to stay friends in a marriage?

Every marriage has rough patches; financial stress, family issues, life just gets really busy at various times. This results in not feeling totally engaged in the marriage at times. Remaining friends keeps the communications lines open until you get through what you are working through and can re-connect again. When my hubby and I would have a disagreement, I tended to go to my quiet place in my brain. He would say to me, ‘Can we be friends?’ and it would get me to come around every time and brought us back together; we quickly got over whatever was troubling us. We are soul mates and I knew this the moment I met him! I still get excited and my heart quickens when I see him.

2. As someone who’s been married over 30 years, do you have any other words of wisdom to those embarking on the marriage journey?

Find your soul mate, always be respectful to each other, be kind, recognize neither of you are perfect and accept that that is the person you fell in love with – flaws and all! We all have them. Take time for each other and yourself, even if it is only a few minutes to re-focus. Love each other and respect each other’s differences.

3. And finally, cause we gotta ask, what is your favorite thing about UsedVictoria?

I have seven grandchildren so I have bought and sold many things on UsedVictoria: high chairs, playpens, exer-saucers, desks, bed frames, bikes, my previous car, toys. I also review real estate on there – I am obsessed! And, I am always suggesting it to others – it works! It is a great tool and many people I know use it too! It is easy to use, even for the person not too savvy on a computer. My whole family uses it!

Thanks so much, Debbie for the wonderful marriage advice.  We hope you enjoy your Ipad Mini and you can finally tell people that you won a prize for having such a long and happy marriage… an amazing life achievement that deserves a prize anyways! Cheers to another thirty years!

DIY Portable Stereo Upcycled from Old Suitcase

A few year’s back my old roommate built a portable stereo system to take on “camping” trips. Now these camping trips were more like epic 3-day-long parties, and the stereo, which consisted of two speakers, a subwoofer, car stereo and MP3 jack, all housed in no-nonsense plywood boxes, was designed to keep the biggest of bush parties going long into the night/morning. So clever was this thing that it could run directly off of a car battery, or be switched over to run off of a generator. Oh, and it had this little sequencer that allowed you to plug in up to 12 different coloured light strings which would flash to the beat. Those were some camping trips. It was affectionately known as the “Redneck Rave System”, or RRS for short.

The RRS has since gone on to meet its maker, but I’ve always wanted to build something like it for those times when you really need a portable stereo. But now I’m a parent, and I don’t really go on those sorts of camping trips anymore. But I could still use a solid portable stereo that doesn’t look ridiculous as most contemporary “ghetto blasters” do, and kicks out some respectable sound.

Not long ago, I came across the work of small companies like Case of Bass and Boomcase, which upcycle old suitcases into spectacular portable stereos. There was many a day I would take some time out from a busy work day to visit these sites and daydream of showing up at a party with a cooler in one hand, and the stereo in the other to the relieved cheers of those assembled. But the thought of spending anywhere from $350 to $1000 is just too rich for my blood. And so awareness of the grim reality that I would never be the guy to come to the aid of the party set in.

Then I discovered a tutorial for a DIY suitcase/stereo conversion on Instructibles! The beauty of this approach is that with a little research and planning, you can build yourself something that suits your needs perfectly at a 10th of the cost. My eyes are now peeled for just the right suitcase, and hopefully by summer BBQ season, I will be asked to please think of the children’s wee ear drums and turn it down just a bit, while the young’uns are yelling at me to “TUWN IT UP!”

Eat Local, Eat Healthy, Eat Cheap – with the Ottawa Good Food Box!

Some time ago, I emailed my city councillor my thoughts about allowing hens to be kept on residential properties (totally for, of course!). He and his staff were gracious and gave me a lot of insight into the process of getting city by-laws changed. Fast-forward to today and hens still aren’t allowed in Ottawa, but I did end up on my councillor’s newsletter distribution list. Once a month I get an email about upcoming activities, events, and other notable things in my ward and the rest of the city … and that’s how I found out about the Ottawa Good Food Box program.

The Ottawa Good Food Box is a non-profit initiative that offers healthy food to communities at wholesale prices. Through the Ottawa Good Food Box, you can order a box full of fruits and vegetables once a month. There are different sizes of boxes to buy, and it should really be called the Good Food Great Price Box, because the biggest box for feeding a family costs only $20!

They also offer a medium box for $15, a small box for $10, or a fruit bag for $5. Each month there is a variety of delicious and nutritious fruits and veggies in the box, and the goal of the program is to offer food that is in season and grown as close to home as possible. There is even an organic box offered during growing season.

Once a month customers place their orders on the Ottawa Good Food Box website or directly with the coordinator of the nearest distribution site. Customers choose the box size and price that meet their needs and the boxes are delivered to neighbourhood distribution sites for pickup. There are 30 distribution sites, so chances are there is one near you. (They will also open a new distribution site anywhere there are 10 customers and a site volunteer.) A newsletter with nutrition tips, recipes for cooking any of the less-common veggies in the box that month, and information about the program, is included in every order.

I ordered my first Good Food Box through the website for February, and picked it up last week. Even though the $20 size is described as “good for a whole family”, my husband and I decided that we probably eat this many fruits and veggies already … and if not, we should be! Since it costs an extra $1.50 to order from the website instead of in person, I paid my $20 for March when I went in to pick up my first box. Here’s hoping we eat our veggies and not our words.

This is what was in our $20 Ottawa Good Food Box for February 2013:

10 lb bag of potatoes (potatoes are only provided every second month)
2 lb bag of onions
2 lb bag of carrots
3 enormous beets
1 acorn squash (weighing in at 2.5 lbs!)
5 apples
4 oranges
8 bananas
1 grapefruit
2 kiwis
1 cauliflower
1 huge head of romaine lettuce
1 green bell pepper
1 tomato

In the interest of research, I actually weighed everything that was in the box and then compared the prices at my neighbourhood Sobey’s and at the discount grocery store Food Basics. At Sobey’s, February’s $20 Good Food Box would have cost me over $35. At Food Basics, it would have cost me $25 – so I saved $5 there and a few trips to the store since I don’t usually buy that much at once. I also got more local food than I would have at the grocery store because, to be honest, I never remember to consider that while I’m shopping.

$20 a month or less … for a huge box of fruits and veggies … and they buy local so you don’t have to think about it. The Ottawa Good Food Box has been around since 1996, why haven’t I heard about this before!?